THAWED: Chris Christie Might Run After All?

We might need a 10th podium at the next GOP debate: Conservative site NewsMax says Chris Christie is considering getting into the race and will tell donors within days. The report comes after Bill Kristol at the Weekly Standard floated the idea after watching Thursday night's debate. Kristol followed up later by declaring, "I know Chris Christie is thinking about it," at a CPAC panel in Florida, notes Politico. Alas, an adviser to the New Jersey governor tweeted that the NewsMax story is "not true."

So is this just wishful thinking on the part of Christie fans? Blogger Allahpundit at Hot Air is skeptical about the rumors but won't dismiss them just yet given Rick Perry's lousy debate performance. "Newsmax is a player in right-wing media and might have an inside track here," he writes. Christie's backers, Mitch Daniels included, probably wouldn't be making this public push unless they sensed he was "ever so slightly open to running."